Apparatus for moistening gummed articles



' April 3-, 1945. c. D. RYAN 2,372,742

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING GUMMED ARTICLES Original Filed April 29, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet l m F u m i 389 54 387 I65 388 3 4!! ,392 r I 3 427 I 4/9 MV 410 v I 405 4 435 1 420a, B [4/2, 406 4/7 4/3 4/4 399 403 404 43/INVENTOR Commadore 1). Ryan April 3, 1945. c. D. RYAN 4 2,372,742

APPARATUS FOR MQISTENING GUMMED ARTICLES Original Filed April 29, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 2 1 A x 'IIIIIIII/IIIIIII INVENTOR Commodore ,D- Ry nATTORNEYS Y vention may be more clearly understood, it'

Patented Apr. 3, 1945 APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING GUMIHED ARTICLESCommodore D-. Ryan, Los Angcles, Califl, assignor to Commercial ControlsCorporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application April 29,1940, Serial No.

332,305. Divided and this application September 27, 1941, Serial No.412,543

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an envelope flap moistening device for use ina mail treating machine or other envelope treating device.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an envelope flapmoistening device characterized by simplicity, sturdiness, and capableof extended eflicient operation. Another object is to provide a deviceof the above nature capable of uniformly moistening the gummed flap ofanenvelope or the like throughout the extent of the gummed portionthereof. Another object is to provide a device of the above naturecapable of adjustment with respect to the article being moistened so asto control the extent to which such article is moistened. Another objectis to provide a device of the above nature capable of closely. engagingthe envelope fiapof the article being moistened. Another object is toprovide a device of the above nature capable of moistening substantiallyall shapes of envelope flaps at high speed without wrinkling, buckling,

catching, or tearing. Other objects will be in part apparent and in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described andthe scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

This application is a division of the application of Frank P. Sager,Ernest R. Bergmark, Commodore D. Ryan and Herschel L. Atherton, SerialNo. 332,305, filed April 29, 1940.

In the drawings wherein there is shown one form of my invention,

Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmental sectional.

view of the moistening device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the moistening blade shown partially invertical sections to i1- lustrate the construction of the interiorthereof.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3--3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 5 to showthe means for adjusting the position of the envelope flap guiding blade;and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 55 ofFigure 4, a portion thereof being broken away to show the structure bywhich the envelope flap guiding plate is'mounted.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of'the drawings.

In order that certain salient features of my in handle portion 388.

might be well first to point out that mail treatin'g machines of thecharacter shown in the above noted application are desirably of a naturecapable of handling. a large number of envelopes per unit of time. Forexample such a machine may be called upon to seal and stamp as many asten thousand envelopes per hour, and to attain this high capacity theenvelope flap moistening and sealing devices must function with a highdegree of efliciency regardless of the size and shape of the envelopeflap'being moistened and without in any way damaging the envelope. Mostenvelope flap moisteners of the character under consideration, areunsuitable for this type of work because, of their inability to applythe right amount of moisture on the gummed portion of the envelope flapwhere such a large number of envelopes are handled without becomingclogged with glue or so gummed up as to become unable to apply sufficient moisture for softening the adhesive on the envelope flap. It isaccordingly another object of this invention to provide a moisteningdevice of the above nature capable of overcoming such difficulties.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, the envelope flap moistening device isgenerally indicated at I54 and includes a removable element (Figures 1and 2). As shown in Figure 2, removable element 381, i. e. the moistenerblade, includes a handle portion 388 and a blade portion 389 secured tosaid handle in any suitable manner as for example by screws 390. Themoistemng blade 389 extends outwardly from the handle and is providedwith a fluid passage 39! communicating with the fluid passage 392 formedin the The blade portion 389 is tapered as shown in Figure2 and has atransverse cross section, generally of the shape as shown in Figure 4.It will be understood that the cross section gradually becomes flatteras the outer end of the blade is approached. The blade is provided witha suitable cover 393 to enclose passage 39L The underside of the bladeis provided with a capillary moistening slot 394 which slot has agreater depth at the handle end of the blade and gradually tapers to aminimum depth at the point thereof.

Referring to Figure 2, it may be observed that the top surface of themoistening blade is substantially horizontal, while the under-surfacethereof tapers from a relatively thick section adjacent the handle orheel end of said blade to a relatively thin section at the pointthereof.

Due to this inclination, the fluid would tend to flow more freely fromthe lower heel end of the capillary moistening slot 394 and tocounteract this tendency, the capillary slot is deeper at its heel endand gradually tapers to a minimum depth at the point end of the blade,thereby substantially equalizing the feed of the moistening fluidthroughout the entire length of said capillary slot. This tendency toequalize the feed of fluid results from the greater friction orresistance to the flow of fluid through the deeper portion of the slotthan through the shallower depth thereof.

In order to facilitate the control of the flow of sealing fluid throughthe capillary slot, a relatively small twisted wire 395 may be mountedwithin the blade to overlie the capillary slot 334. The inner end ofwire 395 is bent downwardly to extend into the fluid passage 332 and isprovided at its end with a small globule of solder 396 to maintain thewire properly positioned within the blade and to assist the insertionand removal of said wire from the blade for cleaning purposes when theblade is removed from its handle portion 388. This twisted wire 395effects the flow of fluid into the moistening blade and through its slotas the fluid is drawn along the blade by capillary attraction andaccordingly delivered thereby uniformly to the slot substantiallythroughout the entire length thereof. The fluid passage 332 formed inthe handle portion 388 is provided at its entrance end with a counterbore 397 into which is positioned a sealing washer 338. The moisteningelement 331 may be easily and conveniently dissassembled from themachine for the purpose of cleaning and as readily reassembled. For thispurpose the machine is provided with a suitable holder 399 which ispreferably formed of a casting having lugs 443 for screws 401 by meansof which the holder is rigidly fastened to the frame bracket 25!](Figures 1 and 3). The holder extends forwardly from its point ofsupport and projects through a rectangular opening 402 (Figures 1 and 3)formed in the front plate I60 of the main frame of the mail treatingmachine. The front end of the holder is provided with a lug 433 againstwhich a flange 434 is securely fastened by means of screws 405. Asealing gasket 4% is interposed between lug 403 and flange 404 and theflange 4634 may be also secured to the front plate ice by means ofscrews 43?. The body portion of holder 333 is generally box shaped asshown in Figures 1 and 3 and is provided at its forward end with arectangular opening 433 of such size as to slidably receive therectangular body portion of the moistening element 381 and is providedadjacent its inner end with an aligned but smaller rectangular opening403 to receive the blade portion of the moistening element 38'! adjacentthe fluid inlet passage 332 of the moistening element 381. The holder393 is provided with an end wall 4H0 against which the sealing washer398 is maintained in sealing engagement by means later to be described.

The end wall mm is provided with a fluid inlet passage 4 (Figure 1)which registers with the inlet passage 332 of the moistening elementwhen the latter is mounted in its operative position in said holder.wardly extending portion 4l2 through which the inlet passage 4 isdrilled and at the rear end of this portion of the holder, the inletpassage is enlarged to receive the end of inlet pipe 4 l 3 which may besoldered therein to provide a fluid tight connection between the pipeand holder.

The holder is provided with a rear- The box like portion of the holderis provided with a drain passage 444 (Figure 1) to drain the holder ofsuch fluid as may enter therein during the removal of the moisteningelement 381.

Means are provided for releasably maintaining the moistening element38'! within the holder so that its washer 398 is maintained in fluidtight relation with the end Wall surface 4"] of said holder. This meansmay include a pair of links 4i5 carrying between the free ends thereof aroller 4; engageable with an arcuate depression 4!! formed in themoistening element handle portion 383. The opposite ends of said linksare pivotally connected to the head end of rod 4l8 slidably extendingthrough lug 433 of said holder. The slide rod 4 l 8 is provided on itsinner end with a compression spring M9 which acts between lug 443 andwasher 420 suitably maintained upon the rear end of said red by means ofcotter pin 420a.

To remove the moistening element 381, the operator need only swing thelinks M5 downwardly to free roller 416 from the handle portion 388thereby releasing the moistening element for removal. The tension spring4&9 provides the necessary give to permit the roller to roll out of thedepression 4 l l. A pin 42! interconnects links 4l5 intermediate theirends to engage shoulder 422 formed upon the inner surface of the handleportion of the moistening element to act as a stop for locating theroller M6 in registration with the depression 4!! when locking saidelement in its operative position.

As may be observed in Figure 3, the envelope conveyor plate I65 overliesthe top surface of holder 399 and acts to not only close the top surfaceof the holder, but also to maintain the moistening element within saidholder. The top surface of the moistening element 387 closely engagesthe undersurface of the envelope conveyor plate I65 (Figure 1) toprevent the flaps of the envelopes from passing between said element andplate.

Guide means are provided for directing the flaps of the envelopes acrossthe capillary slotted portion of the moistening blade. This means mayinclude a wedge shaped block 423 fastened to'the intermediate frameplate it! by means of screws 424, clamping between said block and saidplate the latter guide plate H3. The wedge block 423 is shaped as shownin Figures 3 and 4 and acts to start the folding movement of thedownwardly hanging flaps of those envelopes to be sealed and to furtherassist the block in its folding action, especially when treatingenvelopes having deep flaps, a pin 425 extends from said block at anangle directed toward the moistening blade 389 in the manner shown inFigure 3. A guide plate 426 receives the envelope flaps as they rideover the Wedge shaped block 423 and pin 425 and acts to direct the flapsof the envelopes under the moistening blade 383 in the manner shown inFigure 4. To press the gummed surface of the envelope flap against thecapillary slot 394 of the moistening blade, a spring plate 42! engagesthe envelope flap as it leaves the moistening blade. As shown in thedrawings, the moistening blade 389 overlies the space formed between thetrailing edge of guide plate 423 and the flap engaging surface of springplate 4-21. In order to insure the entrance of the flaps under thesealing blade 383, the blade is tapered as shown in Figures 1 and 2 sothat its forward end is slightly above the flap engaging surface ofplates 426 and 421 and as the blade tapers toward its handle end, itex-' tends down into the space provided between these two 'platestherebycausing the envelopeflapto be depressed so that its gummed surface willtangular adjusting block 428. The adjusting block 428 is mounted betweenframe bracket 250' (Figures 3 and 5) and the intermediate frame platelGl by means of eccentric shaft 429 and pivot screw 430 (Figure 5). Theblock is provided with a forwardly extendinglip 43! (Figures 3 and 4)to. form with the horizontal portion of spring plate 421, a groove inwhich is positioned an eccentric bushing 432 which bushing is 30mnaledupon the eccentric shaft 42 9. Through the rotation of-eccentric bushing432 by means of a spanner wrench engaging pin holes 433 formed in theforward end of this bushing, the adjusting block 428 will be rocked toadjust the relation of the guide and spring plates with respect tomoistening blade 389. After the adjusting block has been rocked toproperly locate the guide and spring plates, it may be locked in itsadjusted position by tightening both, pivot screw 430 and eccentricshaft 429, which shaft is screw threaded into plate l6l. As shown inFigure 5, the inner end of adjusting block 428 is provided with abearing plate 434 having a hole through which the eccentric shaftpasses. The bearing plate hole is of sufficient size to provide for thenecessary movement of said block during its adjustment, but not largeenough to permit the eccentric bushing to extend therein. The bearingplate 434 acts to support the block with its assembled plates whilebeing adjusted in the manner described and is clamped between theeccentric bushing and the envelope guide plate I10 when the eccentricshaft is screwed into plate IBI to thereby securely lock the bearingplate end of the assembly. The spring plate 421 may be slotted as at 435to provide for greater flexibility and to divide the free end of theplate into two sections whereby these sections may be independentlyformed or bent to properly guide the envelope flaps underv themoistening blade.

The envelope flap guide plate assembly in combination with theparticular form of moistening blade comprises one of the importantfeatures of this invention as this organization enables the moisteningof shallow, deep, angled or square flaps without need of adjustmentafter once having been set in operative position and is efficient in itsoperation upon all of the above mentioned shapes and sizes of envelopeflaps and will permit.

thepassing of the flaps through the moistening organization at highspeed without wrinkling,

buckling, catching, tearing.

Another feature of this assembly resides in the adjustability of theguide and spring plates to control the amount of water to bedepositedupon the gummed surface of the flap passing across thecapillary slot of the sealing blade. The guide andspring plateadjustment as shown in Figure 421 thereby permitting the flap to leavethe moistening blade at a flatter angle so that a greater amount ofwater may be deposited upon the gummed surface as it leaves thecapillary slot.

' trio shaft and pivot screw in the manner pree- Upon setting the flapguidingassembly to deposit the desired quantity ofv water, it may belocked in the adjusted position by tightening the eccenviouslydescribed. If too much water is deposited upon the gummed surface of theenvelope flap, the assembly may be adjusted in the reverse direction. Inthis manner the amount of water deposited upon the gummed surface of theenvelopes may be accurately controlled. 7

@Thus I have provided an envelope flap guide and moistening plate whichattains in a thoroughly eflicient manner the several objects set forthhereinabove. I

I claim: t l

1. In a blade for moistening the adhesive portion of envelope flaps,said blade being formed with a tapered portion and having a fluidpassage extending along the taper of said blade and having an angularentrance passage, a flap engaging surface formed along the underside ofsaid blade,

a capillary fluid feeding slot communicating said surface with saidpassage, and an intertwisted metallic member mounted within said passageoverlying said slot and having an angularly re- I lated weighted endextending down into said entrance passage.

2. In a device for moistening the adhesive surface of envelope flaps, amoistening blade across which the gummed surface of the flaps are drawnfor moistening, means for guiding the envelope flaps to said blade, andmeans directing the flaps as they leave said blade, means for mountingsaid guiding and directing means for simultaneous movement, and meansadjusting said mounting means to simultaneously increase the angle ofapproach and decrease the angle departure of the envelope flaps passedthrough said device for controlling the amount of fluid deposited uponthe gummed surface thereof.

3. In an envelope sealing machine, a frame, a fluid conveying meanscarried thereby having a ported surface, a removable moistening bladedisposed above said conveying means and having a ported surface on itsunderside for registration with the port surface of said I fluidconveying means, and means for maintaining said surfaces in sealingengagement. I

4. In an envelope sealing machine, a frame, a fluid conveying meanscarried thereby having a ported surface, a removable moistening bladedisposed above said conveying means and having a ported surface on itsunderside for registration with the port surface of said fluid conveyingmeans, and means yieldingly maintaining said surfaces in sealingengagement.

5. In a blade for moistening the adhesive portion often envelope flap orthe like, in combination, means forming a fluid passage in said blade,said blade having a flap engaging surface, means forming a capillaryfluid feeding slot extending from said surface to said passage and anelongated wirepositioned within said passage overguiding and directingmeans for movement upwardly and downwardly of the path of the. envelopeflap past said blade, and means for ad justing the vertical positions ofsaid guiding and directing means for controlling the angles ofiapproachand departure of the envelope flap'asit passes through said device tocontrol the amount of fluid disposed upon the gummed surface thereof.

'7. In a blade for moistening the adhesive portion of an envelope flapor the like, in combination, means forming a fluid passage in saidblade, said blade having a flap engaging surface, means forming acapillary fluid feeding slot extending from said passage to said surfaceand being substantially coextensive longitudinally with said surface,and an elongated stationary member disposed within said'passageandoverlying said slot and having an uneven surface engaging portions ofthe edges of said slot to control the flow of fluid thereto.

8. In a blade for moistening the adhesive portion of an envelope flap orthe like, in combination, means forming a fluid passage in said blade,said blade having a flap engaging surface, means forming a capillaryfeeding slot in said platen extending from'said passage to said surface,an elongated member loosely mounted within said passage and overlyingsaid slot and engaging the edges thereof at spaced portions, and meansfor maintaining said member in stationary operative position within saidpassage over said slot.

COMMODORE D. RYAN.

